Nature of God, the one who reads the heart
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
चिंतिलें तें मनिंचें जाणें । पुरवी खुणे अंतरींचें ॥1॥
रात्री न कळे दिवस न कळे । अंगीं खेळे दैवत हें ॥ध्रु.॥
नवसियाचे नव रस । भोगी त्यास भिन्न नाहीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे सम चि देणें । समचरण उभा असे ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
He knows what is wished for in the mind, and fulfills the inner longing by its signs. Night or day, one cannot tell; the Deity plays within the body. The one who has made a vow enjoys all nine rasas; nothing is withheld from them. Says Tuka, He gives equally to all, standing with even feet.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
He knows what is wished in the mind, and fulfills the inner longing by its signs. Night or day cannot be told apart; this Deity plays within the body. The one who has made his vow tastes all nine rasas; nothing is kept back from him. Tuka says: He gives to all alike, standing with even feet.
What it means
Tukaram describes a God who needs no words because He already reads the heart. He knows the mind's wish and fulfills the inner longing from its hidden signs. He plays within the body so closely that day and night blur together, the ordinary markers of time falling away. To the one who has vowed himself to God, every flavor of experience is given freely, the full nine rasas with nothing withheld. The closing image of Vitthal standing with even feet says it plainly: He gives to everyone equally, with no favoritism.
The Nature of God
Explorations of God's character, power, grace, and relationship to the world.
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